Paper file



R. J. ASTON 'PAPER FILE Oct. 11, 1938.

Fiied April 6. 1938 Zi'abef cfflston m My; v60.

Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT o'FFicE 6 Claims;

This invention relates to paper files, and its general object is toprovide a device of that character, which is primarily designed forholding and securing the pages of newspapers, magazines, and likeperiodicals together, so that they can be conveniently read, and withoutpossibility of the pages becoming relatively separated .or fallingapart.

A further object is to provide a paper file that can be easily andexpeditiously applied and removed with respect to the pages, andincludes means that not only sets up a .clamping action against thepages, but penetrates the same, so that the pages are not only heldtogether but casual displacement or removal of the device .ispractically impossible.

Another object is to provide a paper file that includes clamping andpenetrating means which are enclosed and therefore protected againstdamage or breakage.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character, that issimple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremelyefficient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to; behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device which forms the subjectmatter of the present invention when not in use or in normal position.

Figure 2 is a similar view, with the device in use.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken through the device whenarranged as shown in Figure l. I

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the device withthe parts in operative position, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the clampingjaws and the relative parts thereof.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view taken from the opposite sideof Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 'l----'! of Figure 3.

nally thereof and for-registration with-each other. =10

The ends of the body members are open, while the outer ends of theend'members are closed by caps l of rounded formation with slots thereinregistering with the slots 3 of the bodyand end members, for cooperationtherewith for receiving the folded edge portions of the pages of anewspaper or thelike A, as indicated in Figure; 2.

Fixed to the tubular body member landalong one longitudinal edge of theslot thereof is a stationary jaw 5 of-elongatedformation andithe jaw isof a length to extend-beyond the body member. Cooperating with the jawbis a movable jaw 6 which is co-extensive with the length of the jaw 5andthe jaws have their outer ends outwardly flared as at to prevent theends from damaging the pages, as will be apparent. Secured to thestationary jaw 5 are pins 8 mounted in openings in the movable jaw forguiding the latter toward and away froin the jaw 5 in its movement, forclamping and releasing the pages. The pins arearranged adjacent to theinner longitudinal edge of the jaws, to provide ample clamping space forthe pages, as will beapparent upon inspection of Figure 8, which showsthe jaws in clamping position while in Figure 7, the jaws are inreleased position.

In order to move the jaw Bjtoward and away from the jaw 5, I provide a.cam strip .9 which is substantially co-extensive with the length ofthejaw 6, and is secured midway its ends thereof,'as

at ID. The outer ends of the cam strip are bent at right angles inwardlytoward the jaw G'and the right angle bent ends I I are fixed to the jaw6, so that the strip 9 fromits central connection with the jaw .6 isinclinedoutwardly toward'the outer ends thereof.. 4 j.

The outer ends of. the end members 2 each have secured theretoone of,the ends of pairs of guide fingers l2 and I3, and the'guide fingers l'2are disposed diametrically opposite the guide fingers l3, but the guidefingers l2 cooperate with each other for a different purpose than thatof the guide fingers [3, although the guide fingers are identical inconstruction, and each have their inner ends bent outwardly at rightangles upon themselves as at H for engagement with the body member Iupon opposite sides thereof, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The guide fingers l2 are mounted for slidable movement on the inclinedcam portions of the strip 9, and are connected thereto by collars [5which are fixedly secured to fingers l2. By that structure, it will beobvious that upon movement of the tubular end members 2 outwardly fromeach other, that the movable jaw 6 will be moved toward the jaw 5 forclamping association therewith, but upon inward movement of the endmembers 2 the jaw 5 is moved away from the jaw 6. That movement isbrought about by the inclined cam, portions of the cam strip 9 and thefact that the guide fingers I2 are connected thereto and the right anglebent ends 14 thereof engage the inner surface of the body member I.

The page penetrating means of my device includes a spring strip l6 thatis fixed midway its ends to the stationary jaw 5, as at H, and has itsends bent at right angles thereto and inwardly for movement throughopenings l8 arranged in the jaws 5 and 6 adjacent their ends, as bestshown in Figures 3 and 4. The bent ends IQ of the spring strip l6 are oftriangular formation to provide penetrating points, and the guidefingers l3 are slidably mounted on the spring strip l6 for moving thepenetrating ends l8 into and out of the openings l8, it being obviousthat the penetrating ends I9 extend through the openings when the jawsare in clamping association, as shown in Figure 4 and the ends l9 arewithdrawn from the openings, when the jaws are spaced, as shown inFigure 3. The guide fingers l3 are connected to the spring strip l6 bycollars 20 which are fixedly secured to the fingers 13.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will beobvious that my device not only includes clamping jaws for setting up aclamping engagement against the pages A, for holding the latter togetherin book form so that they can be conveniently read, but the pages arelikewise held by the penetrating ends l9, which also prevents casualdisplacement or removal of the device from the pages, in that thepenetrating ends pass through the pages when the latter is clampedbetween the jaws, as will be obvious upon inspection of Figures 2 and 4.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnoval features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, pro vided thatsuch changes fall'within the scop of the appended claims. 1 r VWhatIclaim is: V I

1. A paper file comprising a housing having a paper receiving slottherein, paper clamping means within the housing, and slidably mountedmeans included in the housing structure and connected to the clampingmeans for disposing the latter into and out of clamping association.

2. A paper file comprising a housing having a paper receiving slottherein, paper clamping means within the housing, paper penetratingmeans within the housing and cooperating with the clamping means forsecuring the pages of a paper together, and slidably mounted meansincluded in the housing structure and connected to the clamping meansfor disposing the latter into and out of clamping association.

3. A paper file comprising a housing having a paper receiving slottherein, paper clamping means within the housing, paper penetratingmeans within the housing, and slidably mounted means included in thehousing structure and connected to the clamping means and thepenetrating means for operating the same.

4. A paper file comprising a tubular housing having a paper receivingslot therein and including a body member, end members telescopicallymounted on the body member and closing the ends thereof, an elongatedjaw fixed to the body member, an elongated jaw mounted for move menttoward and away from the stationary jaw for cooperation therewith, paperpenetrating means mounted for movement within the body member, and meansconnecting the end members to the movable jaw and penetrating means foroperating the same upon movement of the end members.

5, A paper file comprising a tubular housing including a tubular bodymember and end members telescopically mounted thereon for slidablemovement, caps on the end members for closing the ends of the housing,said body and end members having registering paper receiving slotstherein and extending longitudinally thereof and through the caps, anelongated jaw member fixed to the body member and extending from oneedge of the slot thereof, an'elongated jaw mounted for movement in thebody toward and away from the stationary jaw for cooperation therewith,means for guiding the movable jaw with respect to the stationary jaw,said jaws having outwardly flared outer ends, means connecting the endmembers to the movable jaw for operating the same upon movement of theend members, and paper penetrating means mounted on the stationary jaw.

6. A paper file comprising a housing including a tubular body member andtubular end members telescopically mounted on the body member forslidable movement, said members having registering paper receiving slotstherein, caps closing the outer ends of the end members and having theslots extending therethrough, a jaw fixed within the body and extendingthrough the ends thereof, a jaw mounted for movement toward and awayfrom the stationary jaw for cooperation therewith and being co-extensivewith the length thereof, said jaws having outwardly flared outer ends, acam strip fixed to the movable jaw,

a spring strip fixed to the stationary jaw and.

having, free ends terminating in paper penetrating means, and meansconnected to the end members and slidably mounted on the cam strip andspring strip for simultaneously operating the movable jaw andpenetrating means upon movement of the end members.

ROBERT J. ASTON.

